PT107854B - PERFUMED ENVIRONMENT WITH A CORK GRANULATE AS A SOLID ADSORBENT SUBSTRATE FOR FRAGRANCE RELEASE - Google Patents

Abstract

THIS INVENTION CONCERNS A PERFUMED ENVIRONMENT CHARACTERIZED BY USING A MIXTURE OF A CORK GRANULATE AS A SOLID ADSORBENT SUBSTRATE WITH ONE OR MORE LIQUID FRAGRANCES, IN WHICH THE MIXTURE HAS A GRAND-TO-CORP FRACTION PROPORTION (S) FROM 10: 1 TO 2: 1.

Description

DESCRIPTION

PERFUMED ENVIRONMENT WITH A CORK GRANULATE AS A SOLID ADSORBENT SUBSTRATE FOR FRAGRANCE RELEASE

Field of the Invention

The present invention is in the field of manufacturing fragrant air freshener products. These air fresheners can be used to mask bad odors or to add a pleasant aroma to an odorless environment. The fragrance should be released continuously over time without over saturating the environment.

In the present invention air fresheners use a cork-based material to carry the fragrance. Said material is prepared from by-products of cork stopper production, so the material is environmentally friendly, easily obtained and low cost. In the final product, various container types may be used, such as sags or bottles, which, upon opening, continuously release the fragrance into the surrounding environment for a considerable period.

Background of the invention

The present invention develops a method for using a fragrance substrate for perfuming the environment (an example is fragrant sags, typically used in wardrobes), with inherent advantages over current methodologies.

To be tailored to the end, the substrate must be: solid, good fragrance adsorbent, inert, inexpensive and capable of releasing the fragrance in a continuous and lasting manner.

Scented teats may contain intrinsically scented materials, such as flowers, but may also contain a substrate to which a synthetic fragrance has previously been added. A substrate should be inert, good fragrance absorber and able to release it in a controlled manner. There are many materials currently used as substrates, but none of them can combine the advantages inherent in the material we propose to patent. For example, one of the most widely used traditional materials, vermiculite, of mineral origin, has excellent absorbent capacity but is not inert; This material reacts with various essences, leading to the production of undesirable aromas. Various types of pressed board have also been used for this purpose, but their adsorbent capacity and subsequent desorption capacity are low, with the consequent short duration of the desired perfuming effect. Other more modern materials, intentionally designed for this purpose, such as aroma beads, besides being of synthetic origin, are much more expensive.

US 6352210 discloses active material activated dispenser kits, such as air purifiers, consisting of an inert carrier material, an active material, and a coloring agent. Inert support material is specified as rice husks, a waste product of rice milling for consumption. The kit may take various forms, such as a container into which rice husks, fragrance and coloring are introduced. It can also be a sagiment containing the rice husks and the dye, which is subsequently fed by a direct stream of an aqueous fragrance solution, allowing for a more consistent and lasting fragrance effect.

US4196851 contemplates a porous tablet for placing within a sagrette. The tablet is prepared by compression molding of an insoluble tribasic calcium phosphate powder mixed with a small amount of soluble sodium hexametaphosphate; This mixture is coupled with a small amount of food starch and internally lubricated with a fatty acid soap, preferably magnesium stearate, to aid compaction. This tablet or blank is preferably prepared by mixing the phosphates and binder in water, spray drying the paste, mixing the dry lubricant and compression molding. The tablet is then moistened with a desired fragrance perfume to obtain the content of the sagueta. It is therefore an invention at all different from that which it is now intended to protect.

US 20020041860 relates to activated hydrogel air purifiers formed of a superabsorbent polymeric resin, a fragrance material and a coloring agent. The kit can take many forms; for example, a container into which appropriate amounts of resin, fragrance, and dye are introduced, and then a certain volume of gelling liquid is added. In another form, the kit may be comprised of a sachet containing the above materials to which a liquid may be added to form a gel-shaped air freshener. It may also be a sachet containing the gelling resin and a dye, if desired, which is subsequently fed by a direct stream of an aqueous fragrance solution, allowing for a more consistent and lasting fragrance effect.

US6213409 discloses a room fragrance sachet, particularly for use in clothing closets. The sachets are formed by a container made of sufficiently porous substances to pass the perfume or have openings capable of allowing such passage. The sachets contain thermoplastic particles that have fragrance in their interstices. The polymer particles may be foam, produced using blowing agents or direct gas extrusion processes. Also described are methods for making such sachets and methods of using

the same . How can gauge this short description a invention what if you want to protect features big ones differences in regarding this patent American, namely especially in what it concerns to the substrate used.

US20100136128 discloses compressed tablets or fragrant oil infiltrated granules. Peat is the preferred cellulosic material as it swells during absorption of fragrant oil and stores it. The perfumed oil changes to activated charcoal, which has a large surface area, which allows a controlled release of the fragrance into the surrounding environment. Thus, the release of the fragrance occurs gradually over a period of several months, without saturation of the environment with excess fragrance. Compacted pellets or scented granules can be used to suppress the stench of can debris or dustbins or used directly in drawers or cabinets by perfuming them. In this case it is found that the invention discloses in addition to a vehicle of which it is intended to protect, also a different substrate, which not only renders the whole process dynamics different but also has inferior product sustainability characteristics.

Cork cases can be found as a substrate for fragrance (see 250 bulk bag aroma-disk at http://professionaldetailingproducts.com/shop/shopdisplaypr oducts.asp? Id = l6 & cat = Fragrances% 2FOdor + Eliminators). However, they do not use a granulate, which substantially alters the amount of fragrance that can be used without damaging the packages; for example, one of the most important applications is scented sags, which quickly become wet and damaged by the liquid fragrance that the plates release even for low fragrance / cork ratios (less than 20%).

French patent FR2798313 mentions a cork fragrance impregnation process; however the type of cork is not within its scope and how it relates to its release over time.

With respect to the above-mentioned documents the present invention utilizes a cork granulate as a substrate which has been shown to have an unexpected technical effect by releasing the fragrance in a continuous and lasting manner without any need to add fragrance over time. This effect is due to the inherent characteristics of cork, since it is an inert material, besides being ecologically viable, non-toxic and low cost. Although earlier cases of use of fragrant solid cork can be found, granulated cork solves a problem existing with solid cork and whose resolution was not trivial: in a large number of uses (eg scented sags) the packaging is damaged by the fragrance. clear, which goes from solid cork to packaging and then to products to be perfumed (eg clothes inside wardrobes). The solution of this problem is achieved by the use of granulated cork, whereby the fragrance only comes out in the form of steam, even with high fragrance quantities (up to 30% by weight). In the case of solid cork, the packaging is damaged to much lower fragrance concentrations, as shown by the studies presented below.

Summary of the Invention

In the present invention it is intended to develop a perfumed air freshener which allows for the slow release of the fragrance when in contact with the environment, using as a substrate a cork granulate.

A typical application is fragrant sachets (used, for example, for scenting wardrobes). To be suitable for the intended purpose, the product must be solid, inert, inexpensive and contain a large amount of (liquid) fragrance, which is continuously and permanently released into the environment by evaporation.

Cork is a natural, non-toxic, odorless, inert and inexpensive material. In the present invention a cork granulate has been developed with high fragrance adsorption capacity and ability to release it gently when exposed to the atmosphere.

Cork is a 100 percent natural, recyclable, reusable and renewable material, indispensable attributes in a society such as the present, which is being increasingly polluted and environmentally friendly.

In addition, it has unique, unparalleled qualities that to this day no human ingenuity has been able to imitate or exceed:

Very lightweight v ² weighs just 0.16 grams per cubic centimeter and is able to float impervious to elastic and compressible liquids and gases an excellent thermal and acoustic insulation slow combustion - no flame and is a very friction-resistant natural fire retardant - thanks to its honeycomb structure.

Cork granules used in the air freshener of the present invention have important features such as lack of reactivity with various chemicals, odorlessness, lightness and low price, making it extremely suitable to function as a fragrance vehicle. The material can adsorb liquid fragrance up to 30% of its weight and the fragrance can easily be released as vapor when in contact with the atmosphere. All of these properties have enabled the applicant to prepare a fragrant material which can be used in fragrant devices such as fragrant sachets.

In the present invention it is proposed to use a cork granulate as a solid adsorbent substrate for fragrance release in an air freshener.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES.

Figure 1 - represents several examples of cork with different grain sizes;

Figure 2 - represents the scented paper napkins, more specifically it is visible that the burgeoning of the paper of the napkins by the fragrance increases with increasing dimensions of the cork granules;

Figure 3 - represents the fragrance release as a function of time, specifically from 20% fragrance sockets, for cork granulometry from 0.5 mm to 1 mm and from 1 mm to 2 mm.

Figure 4 - represents the fragrance release as a function of time, more specifically in 35% fragrance sockets, for cork granulometry from 0.5 mm to 1 mm and from 1 mm to 2 mm.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The present invention relates to a perfumed air freshener which utilizes a sterile finely granulated cork granulate having good liquid absorbency. Based on a natural material, this cork granulate has several important characteristics: it is inert, i.e. has no reactivity with various chemicals, odorless, light and low cost, which makes it extremely suitable to function as a fragrance vehicle.

In the present invention the granulate used as substrate remains dry after adsorption of liquid fragrance to 30% of its weight and the fragrance can be easily released as a vapor when in contact with the atmosphere. The amount of perfumed polymer particulate perfume material may range from about 5% to about 45% by weight of the perfumed particles.

Object of the invention

The object of the invention is a perfumed air freshener utilizing a mixture of a cork granulate with granules of particle size less than 7 mm as a solid adsorbent substrate with one or more liquid fragrances in which the mixture preferably has a weight ratio (p / p) of cork granules for fragrance (s) from 10: 1 to 2: 1.

More preferably, the perfumed air freshener utilizes a blend with a weight ratio (w / w) of cork granules to fragrance (s) of 4: 1.

In another preferred embodiment, the cork granulate used is a granulate having granules of 1 to 2 mm.

More preferably, the cork granulate used in the air freshener of the present invention is inert, unreacting with various substances to produce unwanted products.

In a preferred embodiment, the fragrance is placed after the cork granulate, which remains dry after adsorption of the liquid fragrance (s) to 30% of its weight, due to its 1 to 2 mm particle size, as demonstrated in the cork fragrance adsorption and desorption assays presented below.

Preferably, the granulate is treated by thermodynamic treatment using sterilization through a water steam bath.

Preferably, the air freshener is further packaged in sachets of porous paper or other porous material which are subsequently placed in an outer plastic package.

With the granulated cork / fragrance ratio disclosed in the present invention, a dry product is obtained, which can be introduced into paper wrappers (e.g. scented sachets) without the container walls becoming moist, deteriorating or damaging. surrounding materials (eg clothes in a wardrobe in the case of fragrant sachets).

Example 1

Preparation of cork granules

After peeling, the cork planks are immersed in clean water, boiling for at least one hour to clean the cork, extract water-soluble substances, increase its thickness (reduce density) and make it cork. softer and elastic.

Thereafter, said cork planks are kept at rest for about 3 weeks to acquire a flat shape and a humidity of 14%, suitable for their subsequent processing. After this period, the planks are separated by quality class based on thickness, porosity and appearance and cut into strips slightly wider than necessary for the manufacture of corks.

Afterwards and after drilling the cork strips with a drill and obtaining the cylindrical corks, the resulting cork remains are used in the production of granulates and other derivatives.

The granulated material is prepared from such debris by grinding in appropriate mills, and may vary in size depending on the type of mill used.

Finally, the granulate passes into a thermodynamic treatment system using sterilization through a steam bath for cleaning and deodorization, and is ready to be used as a fragrance holder.

Example 2

Preparation of scented sachets

16 kg of treated and deodorized cork granules are mixed with 4 kg of fragrance.

The fragrance is placed after the granulation, slowly and with permanent agitation, to obtain a homogeneous final product.

Then the obtained mixture is transferred to

a container hermetically sealed, as it may be

until stored in final packaging.

Per Finally, the mixture is packed in sags,

being the packaging of porous paper or other porous material,

in a good way the fragrance can be released by

packaging is exposed directly to air. This pack

interior is, in turn packed in a

plastic, which prevents the release of fragrance and

is only withdrawn at the time of use of the product.

Example 3

Preparation of potpourri

16 kg of treated and deodorized cork granules are mixed with 8 kg of fragrance.

The fragrance is placed after the granulation,

slowly and with permanent agitation, in mode to get one homogeneous end product. Then the mixture obtained is t rans wound to a hermetically sealed container, at the same can stay

until stored in final packaging.

Cork fragrance adsorption and desorption tests

Using as support solid cork or cork with different grain size (Figure 1), comparative studies of the characteristics of these materials in terms of adsorption and fragrance desorption were performed.

In a first step, different fragrance amounts were mixed with each of the 4 cork shapes mentioned and placed in paper sachets. The aim of the experiment was to verify the behavior of these different cork formats in terms of adsorption and subsequent fragrance release. Experiments were done with Lavender fragrance, one of the most used fragrances, with 3 fragrance weight proportions: 20%, 35% and 50%.

As can be seen in Figure 2, the cork boards were the ones that presented the worst behavior, making it impossible to use them for the intended purpose. Indeed, even for a fragrance concentration of only

20% is known to pass through the walls of the paper sachet, which is not acceptable.

Cork with a wedge size of between 3 mm and 7 mm, although slightly better, has problems with 35% of frequency.

The 0.5 mm to mm qranulometry gives the most satisfactory results.

The 1 to 2 mm chranulometry also shows good results with 35% of the frequency (cork / frequency ratio approximately 2: 1).

It should be noted that although the 2mm Imm gauge is not the best in terms of retention of the net frequency, it turns out to be advantageous over the 0.5mm Imm gauge.

Indeed, it has been found that the latter cork size is very small, so that the material is extremely powdery and difficult to handle during the fragrance addition and filling processes of the fragrant sachets.

Depending on the results obtained, it was decided to proceed with cork studies of only the two most appropriate size (0.5 to 2 mm), since the size of 3 to 7 mm and the plate showed unsatisfactory results for the cork. problem to solve.

Thus, new experiments have been carried out to evaluate the way fragrance is released by the teats into the environment.

For these 2 lower cork particle sizes (0.5 to 2 mm and 2 mm), duplicate assays were performed with 2 fragrance amounts (20% and 35% by weight).

The results obtained are shown in Figures 3 and 4. As can be seen, the release of the fragrance is more intense at first and, after 2 months, even seems to start to decrease.

However, surprisingly, the teats continue to release fragrance longer.

This result can be explained by assuming that cork began to absorb some atmospheric moisture, which counterbalanced fragrance release.

Therefore, although it appears that the release of fragrance ceases after about 2 months (a perfectly acceptable value), it is permissible for the release to take place over a longer period of time.

As will be apparent to one of skill in the art, a number of detailed changes are possible, which however should be included within the scope of the present invention.

The present invention should be limited only by the spirit of the following claims.

References [1] Marni Markell Hurwitz, Ernest D. Buff; Odor control fragrance additive, US 20100136128 [2] Craig B. Warren, John Ramsbotham, Mareei Belt; Time release fragrance sachet, method of using same and method of fabricating same, US 6213409 [3] Rudolf Strobel; Stable aroma, flavor and flavor products from aroma-and-bearing substrate, US 3997685 [4] Light P. Drizzle jo, Fragranced rice hull air fresheners, US 6352210 [5] 250 bulk bag aroma-disk, at http: //professionaldetailingproducts.com/shop/shopdisplayproducts .asp? id = 16 & cat = Fragrances% 2FOdor + Eliminators [6] Jean Mareei, Proceedings for Improvement for the Manufacturing of Products in Naturable Liege, FR 2798313

Lisbon, November 26, 2015

Claims (3)

1. Fragrant air freshener characterized by using a mixture of cork granules and granules of 1 to 2 mm particle size as a solid adsorbent substrate with one or more liquid fragrances in a weight ratio (w / w) of fragrance cork granules ( s) from 10: 1 to 2: 1. Perfumed air freshener according to Claim 1, characterized in that the mixture has a weight ratio (w / w) of cork granules to fragrance (s) of 4: 1. Process for preparing the perfumed air freshener of any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: (a) peeling by obtaining cork planks which are immersed in clean boiling water for at least one hour; (b) keep the boards referred to in step (a) at rest for about 3 weeks and thereafter separated by quality classes on the basis of thickness, porosity and appearance and cut into strips; c) Drill the strips from step b) with a drill to obtain cylindrical stoppers; (d) preparing the granulate from the remains of step (c) by grinding in appropriate mills with which a granulate of 1 to 2 mm in size is obtained; (e) treat the granulate with particle size between 1 to 2 mm by means of a thermodynamic treatment system using sterilization by means of a steam bath; (f) mixing the treated and deodorized cork granules with the fragrance, in the proportion of granulate by weight (w / w) to fragrance from 10: 1 to 2: 1, whereby the fragrance is placed after the granulation with permanent agitation; (g) transfer the obtained mixture to a hermetically sealed container; H) Wrap the mixture in (g) in sags containing porous paper or other porous material; Place the sachet of point (h) in an outer plastic packaging.